Fastener.



EDWIN B. STIMPSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

EXEO'UTOR OF ANNIE O. LEAI-lY, DECEASED.

FASTENER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 13, 1909.

Application filed December 2, 1905. Serial No. 289,995.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that ANNIE C. LEAHY, ceased, formerly a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, in the city and State of New York, did invent certain new and useful Improvements in Fasteners, and I Edwin E. Stimpson, Executor, of 31 Spruce street, New York, N. Y., do hereby declare the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fasteners such as are employed for securing mailing envelope, for securing together sheets of paper, and for similar uses; and it is herein illustrated as embodied in a fastener for a mailing envelop or paper bag.

The object of the invention is to provide a fastener made from sheet metal and. having a base, with means for securing it to the paper or other material, and two superposed prongs with the lateral edge or margin of the one prong projecting out beyond the corresponding margin of the other prong. This result may preferably be attained in among other ways either by forming prongs of the same width and so placing one on the other that the upper one projects laterally beyond the edge of the one below it, or, by making the upper prong wider than the lower, so that it may project laterally beyond the other at both sides. This permits of two prongs to be readily separated for clenching.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastener comprising a pair of prongs in which a part of each prong extends beyond the other to an extent adapting the prongs to be pulled apart; in other words, a fastener in which each prong has an exposed part not covered by the other and to each of which exposed parts a finger can be applied to pull the prongs apart. This is an important advantage as compared with the form of fastener in which only one prong projects beyond the other, in which case to separate the prongs it is necessary to pry them apart as distinguished from separating them positively by pulling them apart.

Preferably the fastener will be formed in one piece, and will have its securing eyelet or clip formed integrally with its base and prongs.

1n the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention-Figure 1 shows a part of a mailing envelop with one of the fastenors in use thereon; and Figs. 3 and 3 are sectional views of the envelop, Fig. 2 showing de l the fastener secured to the ply of the envelop ready for use, and Fig. 3 showing the fastener in use as in Fig. 1. Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate the referred form of the fastener, on a larger sca e the former includes an underside and edge view of the fastener before it is bent, and the latter includes two similar views showing the fastener bent into form and ready for sale. Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views to Figs. 4 and 5, showing a form of the fastener wherein spurs or clips are employed in place of an eyelet. Figs. 8 and 9 illustrate a fastener similar to that seen. in Figs. 4 and 5, but wherein the eyelet for securing the fastener is non-1ntegral.

10 and. 11 illus- Figs.

will be heretrate slight modifications which inafter described.

in the first three figures, of the drawings, a. designates the flap of an envelop or paper bag; 1) an eyelet or reinforced aperture therein through Wl. 'ch the prongs of the fastener ')ass and c the ")l of the enveloi to which! l 7 i Y l the fastener is secured. In these views F designates the fastener as a whole.

Referring now to Figs. 4xand 5, the pre ferred construction of the fastener and the manner of making it, will be described. From suitable sheet metal, as brass, is formed a piece as seen in Fig. 4, which comprises a wider outer prong 1; a narrower under prong 2, an eyelet 3 at the base of the outer prong; an aperture 4, at the base of the inner prong, said aperture being large enough for the eyelet to pass through freely, and a narrow tie or neck The portion between the prongs in Fig. t, forms the base of the fastener. This piece constitutes the entire fastener, and has only to be folded at the neck 5 with the eyelet passing through the aperture l, as seen in Fig. 5, to be ready for sale. This fastener is applied by passing the eyelet through an aperture in the ply of the envelop or bag and clenching it in a known manner with an eyelet set. It will then appear substantially as seen in Fig. 2. To secure the flap of theenvelop the latter is folded down over the ply of the envelop body in the usual way, the superposed prongs of the fastener passed through the eyelet in the flap, and the wider, outer prong 1 bent back to the position seen in Figs. 1 and 3. The object in making the outer or exterior prong of the superposed pair wider than the inner one, is that it facilitates separating them by enabling the userto take under some part of the outer prong and bend it upward and over.

Where the prongs are of equal width and fit closely together, it is diflicult to separate them.

The fastener may be made as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, wherein the prongs 1 and 2 spring from a base-plate 6, on which are formed two securing clips or spurs 3 to perform the function of the eyelet 3. The upper view in Fig. 6 shows these clips before they are bent down at right angles to the base-plate 6. The prong 2 hasrecesses in its edges to form a narrower neck 5 to facilitate bending, and it will have, by preference a broad part 2 which, when this prong is bent under the plate, as in Fig. 7, takes between the securing spurs or clips 3. As in the construction described, the outer prong 1 projects out laterally beyond the inner prong when the latter is bent under, as in Fig. 7.

Figs. 8 and 9 show a form of the fastener which is the same as that seen in Figs. 4 and 5, except that there are two holes 4- in the base, and the eyelet, 3 is non-integral.

Fig. 10 illustrates a form of .the fastener where the prong 2 is bent back over the prong 1, and the integral eyelet 3 does not pass through it. In this form the prong 2, which is the outer and upper prong, extends out laterally beyond the lower prong 1. In this construction the portion from which the eyelet 3 is formed constitutes the base of the fastener. In all cases it preferably will be the outer and upper prong which extends out the farthest laterally. In Fig. 11, the upper prong '2 extends out laterally beyond the lower prong, at one side, and the prongs being of the same width, the lower prong projects laterally beyond the upper but on the opposite side. This effect may be produced by displacement of the prongs laterally. This form of the invention may be as well carried out with the constructions illustrated in Figs. 5, 7 and 9.

Having thus described the invention of the said ANNIE C. LEAIIY, what is claimed as new in said invention is In combination with an envelop and an apertured flap thereof, a fastener comprising a pair of sheet metal prongs secured at their bases to the body of the envelop, flat on top of the other with the bottom prong flat against the envelop and with the free ends of both prongs directed in the same direction toward the envelop flap, the upper of said prongs being wider than the lower and overhanging it at both sides.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 1st day of Dec. 1905, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDWIN B. STIMPSON,

Executor. Witnesses:

WARREN G. MEEKER, HENRY V. RAU.

one prong 

